New year Bodyboarding and Why Food Tastes Better After Cold Water

I do bodyboarding throughout the year, which sounds much colder than it actually is. The sea is cold, yes, but once you wear a full wetsuit, it is surprisingly comfortable. Head to toe, zipped up like a quiet superhero or shell collector ? ! Or like a very serious sea creature.

The hardest part is not the water. It is convincing yourself to step in.

After cold water, everything feels sharper. Your body wakes up. Your head feels clear. And then comes the best part. Eating after that.

Food after the sea tastes completely different. Not because the food changed, but because I changed. Tired in a good way. Hungry in an honest way. Warm again after being cold. Even simple food feels like a reward (there’s seven eleven near the beach as always, it’s also the best part!).

It made me think about how much our condition affects taste. When you move your body, breathe deeply, and get properly hungry, food feels louder and brighter. Good food is not only about ingredients or cooking. It is also about the person who eats it.

That is why I care about staying healthy. Not in a strict way, but in a real life way. Move. Get tired. Get hungry. Let food do its job.

By the way this sea is in Chiba. Chiba was the Olympic surfing venue, which already says enough. If you love surfing or want to try it, Chiba is a real mecca. Waves, beaches, and surf culture live here.

This is something I think about often through our Tokyo food tour and Tokyo food cooking class. Great food deserves a body and mind that are ready to enjoy it.